It’s always good to see British bands doing well for themselves. When you know they've paid their dues, when you know they've worked hard to achieve even minimal success, yet be so appreciative and humbled by every crowd they pull in, no matter the size, you know that band is in the game for the right reasons. The music should always come first, and the three bands on this current UK tour all share that same principle, dedicating their lives to the music, to the road, not because they have to, but because they want to, and tonight, they pull into Cardiff. The first band of the night, FORT HOPE [6] waste no time in getting things under way, with their blend of melodic soft rock and indie-pop harmonies; songs such as “Control” and “The Rapture” delicately penetrating your ears, aided by the fine voice of front-man Jonathan Gaskin, who charms his way through each note, each lyric, much to the delight of the throng of ladies at the front of the stage. It’s pleasant enough, despite lacking real energy. Next up are Exeter’s I DIVIDE [8] who, on the back of their newly released début album; “Last One Standing”, dive right in with opening track “Follow Me”, and relent only occasionally to thank the crowd for their support and participation, especially on lead single “I'm Not Leaving”, which despite being a slow burner, is wonderfully simple. A catchy chorus, great rhythm, mildly hypnotic, it’s everything a great song needs to grab your attention. Grittier than tonight’s opening band, they raise the bar and raise the level of anticipation and excitement in the crowd ready for tonight’s head-liners, BLITZ KIDS [8] who eventually strut their way on stage to the unexpected sound of “Sexy Boy”, the theme music for former WWE Superstar SHAWN MICHAELS. It’s clear they are relishing the fact they made it as a headline band, and despite jokes about them only really being fit enough for support slots, they effortlessly plough their way through a mixed set list consisting of newer material from the hit album “The Good Youth”, and past EP’s such as the acclaimed “Never Die”. Songs such as “Warrior”, “Sold My Soul”, “Perfect” and the massive “Run For Cover” all hitting hard, cementing the bands status as one of the UK’s brightest prospects. Tonight wasn't just about enjoying an evening of live music, tonight was a celebration. The sheer volume of talented artists emerging from these shores right now is incredible, and tonight, Cardiff played host to three of the finest. For Blitz Kids, this is only the beginning, but the level of support for bands these days is at an all-time high, and you can practically guarantee that these intimate gigs at smaller venues will one day turn into arena shows. Catch these bands while you can, they won’t be so up close for too much longer.Fort Hope: https://www.facebook.com/forthopemusicI Divide: https://www.facebook.com/idividebandBlitz Kids: https://www.facebook.com/blitzkidsuk

LIVE MUSIC

What's better than your favourite band releasing a brilliant album for you to listen to at home? Going to SEE that band perform those songs on a live stage...there's nothing like the feeling of a live gig. Here I'm going to share some of my experiences with you.